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Protecting belief in traditional marriage: public authorities

Submitted by penwing on Thu, 06/13/2013 - 11:45

Bill:

Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill 2013

Stage:

LordsC

Proposer:

Lord Dear

Verdict:

Wrecking

Synopsis:

This amendment adds a new clause to the bill defining "traditional marriage" as a status which has existed longer and is exclusively between male and female couples. It also sets out that belief in "traditional marriage" is a thing worthy of respect and that no detriment to befall anyone who holds such a belief and requires public authorities to bear this idea in mind.

This is similar to Lord Dear's previous amendment on these grounds but, rather than requiring individuals to have regard for "traditional marriage" and bigotry, it requires individuals and public authorities to have regard. My previous comments stand:

This amendment is just hate-fuelled bigotry. It casts the widest possible net in protecting those performing a public service from actually performing that public service to elements of the public they feel are second class. This sort of policy should have no place in reasonable discourse around public/civic duties.

Amendment:

After Clause 1

Insert the following new Clause—
“Protecting belief in traditional marriage: public authorities

(1) A public authority, or any person exercising a public function, shall have
regard to the following—

(a) that prior to the coming into force of this Act, marriage was the
union of one man and one woman for life to the exclusion of all
others (“traditional marriage”);

(b) that belief in traditional marriage is a belief worthy of respect in a
democratic society;

(c) that no person should suffer any detriment because of their belief in
traditional marriage.

(2) In this section, a public authority is a person who is specified in Schedule
19 to the Equality Act 2010, and a public function is a function that is a
function of a public nature for the purposes of the Human Rights Act 1998.”

Bill Text:

Protecting belief in traditional marriage: public authorities

(1) A public authority, or any person exercising a public function, shall have
regard to the following—

(a) that prior to the coming into force of this Act, marriage was the
union of one man and one woman for life to the exclusion of all
others (“traditional marriage”);

(b) that belief in traditional marriage is a belief worthy of respect in a
democratic society;

(c) that no person should suffer any detriment because of their belief in
traditional marriage.

(2) In this section, a public authority is a person who is specified in Schedule
19 to the Equality Act 2010, and a public function is a function that is a
function of a public nature for the purposes of the Human Rights Act 1998.